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Published 1982
Chinese always rinse their ordinary table rice, and not once but several times, until the water runs nearly clear. It is a 3–5-minute ritual in most households, which signifies the beginning of preparation for a meal. Washing removes the dry and oily bran residue and the starchy polishing compounds that are a part of the common Asian milling process, as well as the bits of extraneous stuff, such as tiny stones or insects that typically populate a bag of Chinese market rice. The washing is also thought to tenderize the grains, and some families—my mentors, the Lo’s, included—soak their rice for up to an hour before cooking to make it even more tender.